PEOPLE


10 MINUTES WITH: AARON SHARP


Technical Sales Manager, ARC Building Solutions Ltd.


What is your current role and how long have you been doing it?


I am the Technical Sales Manager at ARC and I joined the company in December 2019. In that time, we have moved factories and encountered a COVID- 19 pandemic – so it’s been pretty full on.


What does your role entail?


I am responsible for the external sales function of the business, which is an all-encompassing role, requiring me to wear many different ‘hats’ including key account management, specification and site compliance. I also dabble in marketing and product development too. A key focus for me moving forwards is with builders merchants, particularly in supporting them and their customers from an awareness point of view around fire stopping and how we can help with some problem areas where historically, fire stopping hasn’t always been as effective as it could be.


How did you get started in this industry? I started working in the yard of a roofing merchants at the age of 18, after I left school. always loved the customer interaction, chatting to the customers and helping them to find what they need, so my role quickly moved onto the sales counter and the desire for a career in the industry grew from there.


What roles were you doing before? I have worked in various sales, business development and specification sales roles within merchants, distributors and manufacturers. These experiences have given me a greater understanding of the different challenges and obstacles that faced throughout the supply chain, which puts me in a good position for my current role. I have always tried to embrace new challenges.


What would you like to achieve in your role? To help further cement and develop ARC’s position as a trusted solution provider within the housebuilding sector. It is key that we continue to innovate and develop products which are unique and solve common problem areas, as we have done throughout our current range, particularly in roofing applications with the Eaves Insulator, for example. The focus for me is to support merchants in identifying the opportunities to grow their business, building on relationships and forming new ones.


What has been the highlight of your career? I recently mentored a colleague towards an industry recognised qualification, having graduated from the same course myself several years ago. It was really


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rewarding to pass on my knowledge and in some way, play a small role in their career development. That person quickly achieved a promotion following the course, which gave me a huge sense of pride.


What do you see as the main issues for the construction industry at the moment? Aside from the challenges that COVID-19 has brought upon us all, there has been a change in regulations and in attitudes towards fire stopping post-Grenfell. It is encouraging to see both fire legislation and fire stopping strategies given increased focus but it is important that this becomes permanent standard practice and does not take a back seat. As manufacturers, we have a responsibility to effectively communicate these changes to both merchants and the wider construction industry as good product awareness will play a big role in driving compliance of effective fire stopping strategies.


If you could go back to the start of your career, what piece of advice would you give yourself? Don’t rush an answer or response simply to look efficient. It is much more important to provide an answer that is valuable, rather than a quick one. Take a moment to assess all aspects of a situation before responding or making a decision.


Football, rugby, cycling, golf or gardening – what keeps you busy at the weekends? I am a huge fan of most sports, but my main interest is definitely football. I still try and play on a Saturday as I don’t think I have many years of that left, but once I hang up my boots, the plan is to get my golf handicap down. I also have a young family and my two young boys keep me very busy.


If you’re at the bar – what are you drinking? It depends on the weather, during summer months I love a crisp bottled beer but in the winter, you can’t beat a pint of Guinness.


What’s your favourite book? Favourite film? I would have to pick Sir Alex Ferguson’s autobiography. I am not a Manchester United fan, but I find his management insights fascinating.Film wise, any of the Daniel Craig led James Bond films. Of those, Skyfall is probably my favourite.


If you could be a superhero, what super-power would you choose?


It would have to be X-Ray vision. As ARC makes cavity fire barriers and cavity closers, products that cannot be seen once a build is complete, it would make site compliance checks a lot easier! BMJ


ON THE MOVE • Polypipe Building


Products have a new managing director. Steve Heeley moves from his previous role as managing director


at Polypipe-owned Manthorpe Building Products.


• Lakes Showering Spaces has appointed Mike Gahir as a


director. He joined the family-owned business in October to help


accelerate Lakes’ long-term strategy. • JB Kind has


appointed Tim Carey as regional sales manager, responsible for the South-East.


• Archwood Group, which comprises Richard Burbidge, Atkinson & Kirby, and Masons Timber, has a new managing


director, Josh Burbidge and senior team; Lee Burford (operations), Jordan Parry (sales, England & Wales), Elliot Tait (sales, Scotland), Craig Holt (marketing & business development), Hayley Scarratt (finance) and Jenna Bellis (HR).


• Triton Showers has three new directors: Emily Johnson becomes Sales Director – Retail and Export. Philip Viner becomes Commercial Director moving from Wolseley UK and Stuart Lane is promoted to Trade Sales Director, from Head of Trade Sales.


• Travis Perkins has announced that Paul Beaman has moved from Keyline to become Regional Managing Director


– Scotland & Northern England at Travis Perkins. Dean Pinner is now MD of Keyline Civils Specialists, Catherine Gibson is MD of CCF and Dave Evans is now MD of the Plumbing and Heating arm.


www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net December 2020


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